Counting and registering device for punchboards



Jan. 31, 1950 I J. T. RASH 2,495,945

COUNTING AND REGISTERING DEVICE FOR PUNCHBOARDS Filed Nov. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JAMES T. RASH 3nnentor Gttprneg! J- T. RASH Jan. 31, 1950 COUNTING AND REGISTERING DEVICE FOR PUNCHBOARDS 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1948 attorney Patented Jan. 31, 1950 COUNTING AND REGISTERING DEVICE FOR 7 PUNonBolm-ns James T. Rash, Elma, Wash, assignor to Rash and Johnson Manufacturing 00., Elma, Wash,

V Application November 2, 1948, Serial No. 58,009

4 claims. (01. 235-98) My present'invention relates to the general art of game devices, and more particularly to a counting and registering device for punch boards.

My equipment consists of electrically operated equipment arranged to accept a conventional punch board in a fixed position, so that a source of light will project light through the holes that have already been punched out. An electric motor is provided to turn rolls which serve as a scoring means to record each punch as the number is punched out of the board. The counting mechanism is electrically connected to electrically operated totalizers, one on the front of the cabinet so that the player, as well as the proprietor of the board, can determine definitely how many punches have been made by the play er, and a second totalizer which counts continuously from the first punch on the board.

The punch board has been gradually gaining in public acceptance and has graduated from a straight gambling device to a game of chance that is quite generally recognized throughout the country, due largely to the fact that accurate means have been made available for the distribution of the various numbers throughout the boards so that they are now, when bought from responsible concerns, accurate, fair and honest boards. It then follows that if a gaming device is fairly constituted, in order that it will be profitable for a proprietor he must definitely obtain pay ment for each clay that is made. It is necesjsaryto insure that he will be protected against the unscrupulous persons who may destroy the punched out numbers that have been observed to be of no value. It is also desirable from the player's point of view that he have an accurate check on the number of punches he has punched, and from the standpoint of the proprietor it is desirable for him to know from time to time how many punches have been made during the life of the board to that point.

In my present equipment I believe thatI have and have achieved this in a manner whichiwill not be embarrassing to the player. or the pro to provide a cabinet into which a standard punch provided means that overcome thedisadvantages I and shortcomings of previously known equipment,

board can be fixedly secured in such a manner that light from the inside of the cabinet may be projected out through the openings left by the punched-out numbers.

A further object of my present invention is to provide an electrically actuated scoring or counting device which is simple in construction, so that it may be made economically and can be expected to stand long periods of use without servicing.

A further object'of my invention is to provide a punch board scoring device having a plurality of inter-locking electrical circuits so arranged soas'to insure the satisfactory sequential operation of my device.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view from the front of my cabinet showing a conventional punch board secured in place therein;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the rear of my cabinet and the manner in which the punch board is secured therein and the position of the grand totalizer;

Figure 3 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical circuits involved in my equipment;

Figure l is a typical horizontal sectional view taken on a plane just above the motor and roller assembly;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the broken line '55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the means employed for guidin}! the movab e roler of my counting device.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral Ill designates generally the housing of my punch board registering and scoring equipment.

'Ifhetop of the cabinet is sloping, after the showing of the various figures, and the top panel I2 is recessed or slotted to receive a standard size punch number, then normally the board is cov- "ered with thin paper on both faces so as to secure the rolled-up punch strips in position and to prevent identification so that a person punching the same has no indication of the number contained therein. I have found it more convenient as a securing means for the lower edge of the punch board to provide a plurality of sharp pins as [8 which are fixedly secured within panel 52 and upon which the punch board It is impaled. This holds the one end of the punch board flush with the surface of panel 12, and to complete the security of the board I provide a bracket 26, which is fixedly secured to the upper portion of the back of the cabinet as 22, and also is secured as by screws 24 to the punch board l4. plcyed, so that while the punch board is readily removable, it can not be removed without authorization in the establishment, because of the tools and time such an operation would require.

Disposed below punch board I, and substantially parallel to it, is a preferably glass shield or panel 25.

electric globe 28 can shine upwardly against the underside of the punch board and any punchedout numbers will appear on the upper surface as spots of light. Another requirement of the punchedrout, strip directing panel 26 is that it be moun ed so that it be disposed at an angle greater than the angle repose of the rolled-up strips as they are punched out of the punch board. This is essential in that this panel 26 is the collecting means for the punched-out strips and it is used to direct the strips downwardly so that they will come to rest in the interstice between rollers 30 and 32; In order to insure that they will come to rest in this modified V line between the two rollers, I carry the shield 26 past the top center of roller 30, and then provide a deflector as 34.

Rollers 3 and 32 extend well across the machine and exceed the limit of the margins of the punch board it, so that any punches pushed downwardly out of the punch board will, with certainty, find a resting place on the rollers.

Roller 39 is mounted upon fixed-end bearings so, one at each end of the roller. Roller 32 is supplied with a bearing at each of its ends, but these bearings ar formed within a U-shaped bar 38, and the parallel disposed ends of bar 38 are adapted for horizontal movement within guideways 4c and 4!. Normally, roller 32 is held in snug engagement with roller 30 by suitable resilient means, as the springs 43. Attention is invitedto the fact thatto insure satisfactory operation, it is'desirable that rollers 30 and 32 be truly cylindrical and, preferably, of metal so that they will retain that true parallel cylindrical arrangement. Preferably, at its mid-point, bar 38 is adapted to engage the operating plunger of the electric switch 46. This occurs each time the rollers 36 and 32 are spaced apart as by a punched-out number passing between them. Inasmuch as roller 33' is fixed, the whole displacement must be achieved by roller 32.

In order to insure the passage of the punchedout numbers between rollers 30 and 32, I provide an electric motor 59, driving a friction wheel 52 adapted to bear on the surface of roller 30.' This provides a satisfactory drive and one that will slip in case foreign materials were entered into the machine in some manner. In order to insure proper driving of roller 32, I provide gears 54 and 55 secured respectively to rollers 30 and 32. These gears should be of proper pitched diameters to turn the two rollers with respect to each other in the same ratio as their diameters and, as a matter of certainty of operation at all times,

Normally, a plurality of brackets are em- 4 they should be of relatively large tooth size so that they will continue to drive even though the roller 32 is forced away from roller 30. In order to provide for movement of roller 30, in case foreign material or a plurality of unauthorized punches should produce a stoppage in the normal drive, or for the reversal of the direction of the rotation of the roller, I provide a manually operated key 51, which is arranged to fit through an opening 59 in the end wall of the cabinet and engage a deformed or keyed end of the shaft passing through roller 30. This is shown as 58. Referring to Figures 1 and 3, I have indicated on the top of panel 12 a punching rod 60. This rod, in its position as shown in Figure 1, opens the electric switch'SZ of Figure 3. This switch is-spring actuated to close when rod 60 is removed It is desirable that panel 26 be transparent or translucent so that light from the from its socket. This normally will insure that before the board is put in play the motor 50 is started and that light {28 is energized, and the board is in completeflcondition for playing. The counter 64-, which-is of a commonelectrical type, is. shown in the wiring diagram of-Figure 3 as Bl, and is the counter that counts the individual punching of someone punching. When that patron has completed his plays andsettled his account, the proprietor can insert key 66, thus closing switch 61 and resetting counter 64 tozero for the next period of play. This keyis normally removed by the proprietor while the machine is n'p av- .A second counter, which is actuated at all times by the play of the board and which totalizes the entire play, is shown as 10. This counter can be at any convenient place. I have indicatedit inside the cabinet as it normally concerns the proprietor, and is readily inspectableby raising the hinged portion of the back wall of the cabinet as".

Method of operation Assuming that the standard punch board is in place after the showing of. Figures 1 and.5-and the equipment is plugged in to a source of electrical current, the player withdraws the punch,-

ing rod 63 which energizes the electric motor 50 and the light 28. As he passes the punching rod 60 down through one of the number-filled holes vIt, the numbered slip of paperis forced out and drops onto the deflector plate 26, and by gravity is carried down until it rests Within the V be:- tween rollers 30 and 32. Now, as soonas the punch rod 60 is removed and the, motor 50 started, rollers 30 and 32 ar,e continuously revolving. Consequently, the punched number passes between the rollers and, in-so. doing, forces roller 32 away from roller 39. This action through the media of bar 38 actuates switch46, andreferring to Figure 3 of the drawing, this completes a circuit which causes totalizers 64 and T0 to each revolve one number, thus registering the punched number. Assoon as the rolls have turned far enough, the punched-out number drops onto the second deflector sheet, or chute, as l1, and emerges out through opening '19,- where it can then beunrolled and inspected by th player.

Each time the player punches out a number bothqof the counters.54 and .lltwill register. the punch, and when the player has punchedtohis satisfaction he then is expected to settle on the basis of the number of punches indicated in the face indicator 64. When payment has been made, the proprietor will then insert. key 66, and-by turningthe same ,will close switch 61. This will reset the electric counter 54, but will not aflect counter 10, which will carry the total for the entire operation of any one board, or it may be continuous with a plurality of boards.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of counting and registering device for punch boards.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In a punch board counting and recording device the combination of a sloping seat adapted to fixedly position a punch board; a directing shield disposed below said punch board; a fixed roller adapted for revolution about a fixed axis below and parallel to the bottom edge of said directing shield; a second roller disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane 'as said fixed roller and adapted to revolve with its surface in contact with the surface of said fixed roller; said second roller mounted for a revolution in bearin-gs adapted to permit its moving away from the axis of said first roller; resilient means adapted to restore said movable roller to a position of contact with said fixed roller; motor driven friction driving means for said rollers; and means, ac-

tuated by the movement of said second roller, for counting and recording number slips punched out of said punch board.

2. A punch board counting and recording device comprising: a sloping seat adapted to fixedly position a punch board; a directing shield disposed below and substantially parallel to said 'punch board; a fixed roller adapted for revolution about a fixed axis parallel to the bottom edge of said directing shield; a movable roller adapted to revolve on an axis parallel to said fixed roller; a bearing bar having bearings for oper atively supporting said movable roller; guide ways horizontally disposed to slid-ably support said bearings; springs adapted to restore said movable roller to a position of contact with said fixed roller; motor driven friction driving means for said rollers; an electrically operated counter mechanism for counting the displacements of said movable roller, and an electric switch for energizing said counter mechanism adapted for operation by said bearing bar as it is displaced by movement of said movable roller.

3. In a punch board counting and recording device, the combination of a sloping seat adapted to fixedly position a punch board; means for looking a punch board in said seat; a directing shield disposed below said punch board; a roller adapted for revolution about a fixed axis parallel to and below the bottom edge of said directing shield; a

second roller adapted to revolve on an axis parallel to said first roller, and mounted for a revolution in bearings capable of moving away from the axis of said first roller; means adapted to rest-ore said movable roller to a position of contact with said fixed roller; electric motor driven friction driving means for said fixed rollers; a counter adapted to be operated by the displacement of said second roller, for counting the punches from said punch board; a closed circuit I switch in the supply circuit of said electric motor,

and a punching rod adapted to open said circuit when it is inserted in said switch and render the board unplayable.

4. In a punch board counting and recording device, the combination of a sloping seat adapted to fixedly position a punch board; a directing shield disposed below said punch board; a roller adapted for revolution about a fixed axis parallel to and below the bottom edge of said directing shield; 21. second roller adapted to revolve with its surface in contact with the surface of said first roller, and mounted for a revolution in bearings capable of moving awa from the axis of said first roller; means adapted to restore said movable roller to a position of contact with said fixed roller; motor driven friction driving means for said fixed roller; gear drive means operatively connecting said fixed roller and said second roller and adapted to drive said rollers in opposite direetions; an electrically operated counter for recording the number slips punched from said board; an electric switch, positioned to be operated by said second roller when it is moved away from said fixed roller, and adapted to energize said counter; and a key operated reset switch for said counter.

JAMES T. RA-SH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,796,758 Mackle 1 Mar. 17, 1931 1,963,327 Hobart June 19, 1934 2,023,921 Grout Dec. 10, 1935 2,249,044 Rose July 15, 1941 2,425,318 Hayes Aug. 12, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 149,505 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1920 384,927 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1932 

